Children on sale. Any buyers?

DUMKA: Tears well up in the eyes of Sundari Murmu when she hugs her grandson Manu returning home after six months. Ten-year-old Manu, who hails from Dhumnahi village in Kathikund block, was sold to an affluent man at Chitpahari village for Rs 750.
Reason? Manu’s father Jeevan Kisku was seriously ill and Sundari needed money for his treatment.
Budhinath, 10, son of Nimai Dehri of Saldaha village, was sold for Rs 600 to a teacher as his family was facing starvation.
Gopal Dehri, 10, of Pukhariya village was sold for Rs 1,200 to a moneylender. Interestingly, Palu, 11, of Baliar Ranudih village was sold to his uncle for Rs 750 as his father Betka Kisku needed money for treatment.
Manu, Budhinath, Gopal and Palu were rescued by some social workers. Many others are not so fortunate. They are now bonded child labourers.
The villagers of Santhal Parganas face extreme hardship. The hilly terrains leave little scope for cultivation. Whatever cultivation they used to do has now almost stopped due to the wild elephant menace. “We stopped cultivation and the government did nothing for us. In such adverse circumstances, villagers either sell or mortgage their children. This way they manage to survive,� says Jeevan Tudu of Baliar Ranudih.
The poor, hungry villagers are also facing the three-pronged attack of malaria, jaundice and kala-azar.
A strange custom - Charo - prevails in the area. Ploughing by a woman is looked down upon in the Santhal society. A widow finds it difficult to earn a living despite having farmland. She has to hire some male to plough it. She also needs oxen for this purpose. In such circumstances, she mortgages or sells her child for an ox or some money. It is a peculiar barter system in which one gets an ox in exchange for a child.